Michael Biehn to Battle a Zombie Kangeroo in The Red

Michael Biehn, who starred in The Terminator, is returning to the big screen with The Red, a creature horror film featuring a bulky zombie kangaroo named Rippy. Described as “your average bloke by day, and a terrifying Zombie Kangaroo by night,” Rippy will be central to the film, possibly becoming one of the most iconic creatures in horror.

Ryan Coonan’s zombie film, based on his 2014 short film Waterborne, follows Maddy (Tess Haubrich), a young sheriff who is obsessed with living up to her deceased father’s legacy. When the town’s residents are found ripped to bits by an unknown creature, Maddy works with her uncle Schmitty (Michael Biehn) and aunt Donna (Angie Milliken) to track down the undead beast before it leaves a trail of carnage.

The original short film centered around a small town where a ranger uncovers algae that has contaminated the local water supply, leading to an exposed infection of both humans and animals. It’s not long until it turns into a full-fledged zombie outbreak, pitting the town’s few survivors against the flesh-craving monsters. In terms of narrative, The Red should be fairly different from that of the short film it is based on.

Joining the film’s crew is Richard Barcaricchio, who co-wrote the screenplay for Waterborne with Ryan Coonan in 2014. Barcaricchio is also producing the picture, alongside Jessica Butland, Judd Tilyard, and Liz Tomkins, with Steven Matsuko, James Norrie, Bob Portal, and Verity Fiction serving as executive producers.

In an exclusive interview with Scoop Culture, producer Jessica Butland and director Ryan Coonan shared their excitement about the film, describing it as a wild ride from beginning to end. In their words:

“This film is a wild ride from start to finish, delivering everything creature feature fans would expect from such an outrageous concept! It also delivers for mainstream audiences with its throw back to classic Aussie slang and pop-culture.” — Jessica Butland

“Us Aussies are known for our wild creature features. THE RED is just that—wild and bloody. If you’re a fan of Piranhas, Zombeavers, and Tremors, this one’s for you.” — Ryan Coonan

Radioactive Pictures is going to distribute The Red in Australia and New Zealand on October 31, 2024, but no international release date has been set. That said, the press release for The Red promised that the film would be released in the United States around the spooky season, so it shouldn’t be long after its initial screening in Australia.

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Michael Biehn Plays an Interesting Role in The Red

Michael Biehn is best known for his role as Kyle Reese, the father of humanity’s savior, John Connor, in the 1984 film The Terminator. Biehn eventually reprised his role in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, although his scenes were removed from the final theatrical version and later added to the Director’s Cut.

The actor, who has appeared in over a hundred titles in his career, namely as Corporal Hicks in Aliens, Commander Anderson in The Rock, and Chris Larabee in The Magnificent Seven, is set to appear in another thrilling role in The Red.

In the film, Biehn plays Maddy’s eccentric uncle, Schmitty, who discovers the initial incident of a zombie kangaroo with his hunting dog, which hopefully does not die. As seen in the trailer, the man is bold enough to venture into the woods alone with a sniper rifle, but is equally terrified of Rippy. Overall, The Red should be an exciting addition to Michael Biehn’s illustrious career.